The time to bow out
by VCLvcl123
Summary: It's not that he didnt welcome a good fight; he just needed to know if what he was fighting for would be his if he won. Right now he knew that wasnt the case.
1. Chapter 1

**Probably just a one shot maybe a two shot. Just my opinion on events in season three leading up to Knockdown. It's mainly in Josh's POV with a little of Lanie. **

**Disclaimer: Dont own it but i really want it. **

**Reviews are very much welcomed. If this gets a good responce there will definately be that second chapter. **

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He knew he should have seen it coming. He should have known and maybe all along he did but just didn't want to see it.

His first sign was that day at her work. He should have known that there were unresolved feelings. Kate would say it was nothing, and to her maybe it was nothing. But not to the man who had watched them walk away together. To that man it would be everything. Josh wouldn't ask though. For then there was no reason to. Kate was with him all the time when she wasn't at work. The only problem with that was that she had been spending more and more time at work now that the summer was over and that meant she was spending more time with the author.

His next sign was when they had gone out to dinner one night. She had told him the day before that the actress Natalie Rose was shadowing them and it was great. She had been so excited. But when he asked her about it the next night she said she was tired of the actress. She said that Natalie was taking over her life. The way she had said "It started off with her standing like me trying to master my movements but now her hair looks like mine, her wardrobe looks like mine, she even took my coffee" had made him laugh until he realized she was completely serious. He didn't understand what was so important about a cup of coffee. She had also mentioned something about an elevator incident that he didn't even think to ask about.

He had arrived back in town to find that she was off on some big case. She had said on the phone that she would talk about it later and that he could chill in her apartment until she was done. She had gotten in really late. He had made dinner which was now in containers in her refrigerator. As she heated some up in the microwave she told him about the case. She had said it was about her mother's murder and he had felt bad that he hadn't been here for her. She said that Ryan and Esposito had gotten kidnapped and were being tortured. When they found them she used Castle to help her distract the guard. When she said that her fingers brushed across her lips and her eyes closed for a brief moment. Then she said that Castle had saved her life. Josh had made a mental note to thank him.

But now, as he sat with her and her colleagues at their favorite bar, he knew something else had happened between her and the author. They wouldn't look at each other except for stolen glances when they thought no one was looking, but he was. The strange thing was that he wasn't mad. It's not that he didn't welcome a good fight; he just needed to know if what he was fighting for would be his if he won. Right now he knew that wasn't the case. Her heart would never truly be his because it belonged to someone else. So he decided he would bow out. It would be hard, but if she would be happier with the author then he would do it. He took a deep breath.

"Kate, can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked. She didn't seem to hear him though because she stayed staring absently at her drink. "Kate?" He said it a little more loudly. She turned towards him and blinked a couple of times.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" She smiled up at him and he almost stopped himself right there. He wanted to be with her. He loved being with her.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Her brow furrowed in confusion but she nodded and went with him.

...

Lanie watched them exit the bar and something inside her told her that she would be needed. She excused herself and hopped down from the table. She felt Castle's eyes on her and knew that he was curious too. Lanie stood by the door of the bar for a couple moments debating on waiting inside or outside. If what she thought was going to happen does in fact happen then she knew Kate would probably leave rather then come back into the bar. So she slowly opened the bar and looked around.

Across the street Kate was leaning against her car and Josh against his motor cycle. Kate shook her head and ran a hand through her hair. Josh wrapped his arms around her for a brief hug before kissing her on the forehead and straddling his bike. The instant he was gone Lanie walked over to Kate. She saw a tear slide down her cheek and noticed that Kate's expression was the same one she had had at the beginning of last summer.

"Kate, are you okay?" Kate's lips twitched, trying and failing at a smile. Lanie instantly wrapped her in a hug and held her until she pulled away. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"He just… We just… He knew my heart wasn't in it." She said before leaning back against the car. Lanie joined her.

"Do you want to go back in there and get shit faced or should I tell them you went home." This time Kate actually did smile.

"Will you come home with me to get shitfaced?" Kate asked.

"Of course I will sweetie. I'll go grab our things you start the car." Lanie began to walk back to the bar.

"Hey Lanie." Lanie turned back to Kate.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

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**Thank you all for reading. Hope you liked it. Now that we are at the end you know what to do... use that little triangle thing that moves when you move the thing next to your keyboard to click on the review button. Any reviews are welcome. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Just a short conclusion that i thought fit quite nicely. It was brought to my attention that in the previous chapter I wrote that Josh knew about Kates mother when he really didnt. I hadnt realized I had kept that in there. I started writing it and then went back to watch knockdown after I was half way through with the story. When I went over it I guess i missed it. **

**Anywho...I hope you like this. I enjoyed writing this small chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I dont own Castle but if I did then I would stop them from playing repeats every other week! I hate it when they do that. **

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"You know what?" Kate asked, her words coming out slow.

"What?" Lanie asked pouring another shot.

"I really like Tequila." Kate took her shot glass and they clinked glasses.

"Me too." Lanie said. They did the shot and then Lanie began putting things away.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Kate asked reaching for the bottle in Lanie's hands.

"We said one more three shots ago, if we don't quit now we will regret it tomorrow." Lanie said and stood. She instantly sat back down for a fear that the ground was trying to leave. "Can I stay on your couch tonight sweetie?" Kate nodded but had a sad look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Castle screws everything up!" She said angrily.

"What do you mean?"

"Tom for starters. He was a great guy and I broke up with him for…" She trailed off and her brow furrowed. "…for no good reason. And now Josh saw a difference in me and just new. That's what he said that he knew. Do I seem different to you?" Kate asked leaning back in the couch. Lanie placed everything down on the table and scooted next to Kate who yawned drawing a yawn out of her too.

"You do seem a little different, but that's to be expected. You got farther on your moms case. That would change anyone." Kate didn't seem to hear her or she just wasn't listening. She seemed to be going over something in her head.

"…if he wouldn't have kissed me this would all be different…" Lanie felt her eyebrow rise. "…maybe that's not the problem. The problem is that it felt so damn good…"

"Hold up girl. You kissed who?" Lanie was looking at Kate seriously.

"I didn't kiss anybody, he kissed me. Well I kissed back. How could I not it felt so…" Kate looked up at Lanie and then she realized what she had said, and answered.

"Who were you kissing?" Lanie asked again. "And why were you kissing?"

"We needed to distract the guard so we were walking together but he wasn't buying it so I reached for my gun but he stopped my hand and turned me to him and kissed me." Kate said hoping Lanie would drop it at that and not ask who "he" was.

"Was this when you and writer boy went to save Ryan and Esposito."

"I think we should do one more shot."

"Kate!" Lanie said in her best authority voice.

"Yes it was Castle, okay. He kissed me; I pulled away but then kissed him again. It was…" Kate trailed off. She knew the perfect word for it. The only word that could describe it. "…it was amazing."

"Finally." Lanie let out a huff of air and sunk back into the couch. "It is about damn time." Kate smiled. Lanie had been pushing for this since day one so of course she was happy. Kate waited a while before she spoke again.

"So how about one more shot?" Kate asked but Lanie didn't answer. She looked over to see that she was asleep. Kate looked back to the tequila bottle but decided against one last shot. She slowly got to her feet, maneuvered Lanie so that she wouldn't wake with a sore neck tomorrow, closed the curtains, and trotted off to bed. She now had a lot to think about.

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**Probably not very believable. I hope you liked it. Reviews are nice. Please leave one. **


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